|
by Bob Fraley
Text: Revelation 3:14-20 
Sermon in a Sentence: Because it is the only force powerful enough to stem the present tide, we must talk often about revival in the church.
Momentum is a highly valued concept in various aspects of life. In the world of sports, it’s to be on a roll. As a team, it’s to be functioning so much in sync that you appear almost unstoppable. Championships are won or lost depending on which side at crucial times captures the momentum.
The world of politics is similar. Candidates for office want their campaigns to peak at just the right time. It’s important for a wave of momentum to mark their efforts right before the people vote.
When wars are fought, once again momentum is important. In Ken Burns’ captivating 15-hour documentary series about World War II, we’re reminded that at the start of that global conflict the Axis powers had all the momentum on their side. In Europe, the Nazi blitzkrieg had proven unstoppable. The same was true of Japan’s lightning strikes in the Far East.
If General Tojo had chosen to penetrate Southeast Asia, instead of attacking America’s naval base in Hawaii, he probably would have captured the resources he desired without provoking America to war. And if Hitler had completed the conquest of England before turning his troops on Russia, the outcome in that theatre of conflict would no doubt have been markedly different. Anyway, these ill-conceived decisions had a negative effect on the momentum their troops had previously enjoyed.
In spiritual warfare, momentum is once again an important factor. All but those who haven’t a clue as to what’s going on would say that in America it’s Satan who in the past several decades has captured the momentum. It’s not that the church in the U.S. is impotent. It’s just that it doesn’t have anywhere near the societal clout it once did. Earlier messages in this series covered the alarming extent of our great enemy Satan’s aggressive moves. I have also strongly recommended that everyone read Bob Fraley’s short book The Day That Changed America. It’s a real eye-opener. Copies are available at ______________.
If you have finished those seven short chapters, I recommend that you get a copy of his longer book Salt and Light, where far more details are spelled out. 
I honestly believe the only force capable of turning things around in America is a heaven-sent, Spirit-operated revival. Unfortunately, that term doesn’t impact present-day Christians in a positive way like it did previous generations of believers. Churchgoers today tend to associate “revival” with sweaty-faced preachers who holler a lot, sawdust-trail evangelism, and even backwoods snake-handlers.
So today I am going to come at this term “revival” in a different way. That’s because my personal conviction is that another overwhelming move of God’s Spirit through the churches of this land, is our only hope for an outcome that’s different from what we’ve been talking about in this series.
This is Sunday 6 of 8 in a Spiritual Adventure called The Remarkable Revelation. The subtitle is 50 Days to Prepare for What’s Ahead.
If you haven’t done as well as you intended, let me encourage you to once again pick up on the journaling process. Today along with the next two Sundays will fit together as a unit, so it’s a natural time to join us again in what’s going on.
End of Short Preview for Sermon #6 | 
